The Curious Case
by Lookatmypixel
Summary: A young journalist gets herself into a whole new world of trouble when she decides to look into something she never should have. Somethings are meant to stay buried.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Moonlight Fic, the characters aren't my own. Only Sofia belongs to me, the rest i'm just playing with. 

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><p>There were many things Sophia Claremont had always been confident in, her ability to do her job was one of these things. Lately however, everything seemed to be going wrong in that department along with a few others, that's how she had found herself in the office of an up and coming PI Mick St. John.<p>

"So let me get this straight Miss Claremont.." The man behind the desk looked at her with a raised brow and a rather confused expression.

"You can call me Sophia" she sighed heavily, getting rather bored with his incessant line of questions. A few were to be expected but he was just milking it now.

"Fine, Sophia" he started again, leaning forward in his seat to rest his elbows firmly on the hardwood desk. "Why would someone want to break into your house? Or trash your desk at work? It doesn't seem like you write the type of stories that would attract that kind of wrong attention." Seeing the scowl that crossed her face the man quickly raised his hands in a mock surrender "No offense"

"Well.." Sophia could feel her jaw tense as she fought hard to reign in her own temper "I'm here because Beth recommended you, apparently you were good at your job. My mistake. FYI, I know I write crappy stories about celeb sightings right now, but I'm new so it's to be expected. I'm working on something really big right now. A story that should make my career as a journalist." Without adding anymore she turned around and stormed right out of his office, she'd be damned if she was giving one cent of her pay check to that asshole.

**xXx**

The drive home that night had certainly been a quick one, I'd spent most of the day livid with my meeting with Beth's PI. He was a total jerk, and a complete waste of my lunch hour. My apartment wasn't far from BuzzWire's office building; I'd chosen it especially for the location. I wouldn't really call it an apartment as such; it was more of a studio/large closet. I barely had room to swing a cat around never mind anything else.

I could feel the tension slowly start to simmer out of me as I speedily walked through the underground parking garage of the building towards the elevator. Just incredibly grateful to be home for the night, it had certainly been an eventful day and I was really looking forward to putting on some old pyjamas and lounging in front of the TV watching reruns of Friends.

My evening took a head first dive down the gutter the minute my foot stepped out of the elevator and onto my floor.

The first thing I noticed was the really slow and annoying flickering of the lobby light, it just screamed 'stupid blonde in the horror that's the very first to die in a bloody puddle' at me, it was totally creepy. I made a mental note to call my landlord the second I got in, if that wasn't fixed soon it would just continue to freak me out.

The next thing to stop me dead in my tracks was the fact that my front door was open, not obviously wide open to the world but I could see a dim light shining out from a small crack, it clearly hadn't been shut correctly. But considering I'd locked it this morning before I left, this was 100% a very bad sign. I stood before the door, just staring at it like a complete idiot. Fighting myself on whether I should just get back in the bloody elevator and then locate the nearest phone and call the police, or just grow a set and check it out for myself. My head was being completely rational and saying that the only smart and logical thing to do was to go get someone of authority to check it out. That would have been the smart thing, but common sense maybe wasn't one of those handy traits I had on my list. I regretted my choice instantly.

**Beth's POV**

My foot tapped impatiently against the concrete ground outside the office as I waited, impatiently, for Mick to come pick me up. We were supposed to be following up a lead tonight after I'd finished up at work, the longer it was taking him to get here the more I was regretting agreeing to this after hours scavenger hunt.

"Someone looks happy tonight" Mick smiled brightly as he finally pulled up beside the sidewalk.

"Can we please just get this over with quickly" I smiled back half-heartedly "Josh has already called to say he's coming over with some Chinese and I'm starving"

"Sure" Mick shrugged "you know you don't have to come along Beth, I can just take you home"

"Yeah right" I laughed quietly " like I want to miss out on this, I want to see the reaction for myself on Josef's face."

"Yeah?" Mick turned slightly in his seat to look at me, hardly even paying any attention to the quiet road in front of him "And you think you'll be able to tell if he's lying? Listen Beth, Josef's my friend sure but he also happens to be a very old, very powerful vampire. Can you please just let me do the talking?" His tone sounded almost pleading and I couldn't help the smirk that took hold.

"Whatever you say" I agreed fakely, putting on the sweetest smile I could muster.

The elevator up to Josef's office was a tense ride, I could feel Mick trying to brace himself for the conversation that was about to follow, I on the other hand couldn't wait. I'd always known he was friends with Josef Kostan of course, I'd even met him on several occasions but I never thought I'd see the day where I could convince Mick to let me ask him some questions. Not that I would let him stop me, it was just nice to have his permission.

Once we'd entered in past the extravagant heavy black wooden doors, Josef quickly cleared the room of all the other people present. With two fast clicks of his fingers we finally had him all to ourselves.

"Mick, Beth" he nodded in greeting as he stood in front of his desk, holding his arms out and gesturing towards the empty leather seats before him. "What can I do for you today?"

This would be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Mick's POV**

I knew the second I'd agreed to this crazy idea that I would live to regret it. Beth's confident demeanour as she accepted Josef's offer and reclined leisurely back into the tall leather chair frightened me a little. I wasn't going to enjoy what was about to follow, talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. Easing myself forward I stood behind the second free chair in the spacious room and glanced down at Beth once more, she was relaxed, smiling brightly over at Josef. All I saw was a snake coiled to strike. She thought she had him, she was wrong. Could he be guilty, sure. The chances of anyone being able to prove anything though, highly unlikely. You don't get to Josef's age and position by becoming sloppy.

"How can I help you?" Josef asked with his own version of a smile, directing a slight eyebrow quirk in my direction. I sighed heavily, deciding I'd rather admire the view from the window than the train wreck that was about to become this conversation. I walked quickly over to the large window and stared out at the city, the lights making it look a lot more attractive at night. Maybe I was just biased.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions" Beth began, I could hear the small smile in her voice as reached into her bag and pulled out her small note book. Poised and ready.

"Sure" The pen that was placed on Josef's desk now took up residency in his hand as he impatiently toyed with the object. I knew he was only humouring Beth for my benefit, a fact I completely appreciated but I would've much rather handled this myself. Knowing Beth, however, she would've just showed up here anyway, demanding to see Josef and asked him questions. Without me here as a referee.

"Alexandra Karzhov" Beth just blurted out the name, not evening attempting to ease into the questioning.

"What about her?" My eyes turned to look at Josef, well what I could see of him from my position behind him; he straightened up in his chair, his back stiffening noticeably as he shifted forward placing both his hands onto the desk.

"So you know her?" Beth continued, again pressing further.

"You already I know I do" Josef sighed, already tiring of her "I don't have time to play your games Miss Turner, what do you want?"

"Did you kill her?" Beth asked, her facial expression now matching the stiffness of her tone.

"Beth!" I stepped back around to the front of Josef's desk and stood behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing lightly, it was hardly subtle but I really needed her to cool off on the hard approach just a little. There was a certain way to deal with Josef Kostan and the direct and in your face approach wasn't always the best. What followed I didn't expect.

"She's dead?" Josef sounded…almost shocked. Not upset, just surprised.

"You didn't know?" I asked, interrupting Beth with another quick squeeze before she fired out another question.

"No" Josef shook his head as sat back in his chair and laughed "But I'll bet I'm top on your hit list and that's why you brought your backup" Josef began speaking to Beth once more, sparing a brief nod in my direction.

"She had bite marks" Beth nodded, pulling a photo out of her bag and sliding it across Josef's desk so it was sitting before him. He didn't look away from Beth to even acknowledge the picture.

"And you're assuming those bites are mine?" Josef asked, sounding more amused than offended.

"She was last seen outside of your office building" Beth added, not budging.

"Again, you're assuming this has anything to do with me why? You do know there are more than 2 vampires in LA Beth, try over 300" I relaxed a little when Josef's mood didn't seem to darken any, I sat in empty seat to Beth's right. I sat on the edge however, just in case.

"You're telling me those bite marks aren't yours? And that Miss Karzhov wasn't here in your office?" The disbelief and mocking in her tone were blatantly obvious and I cringed inwardly at myself once more for even agreeing to help her with this, I'd have some serious apologising to do to Josef once I've managed to drag Beth back home.

"Those aren't mine" Josef smiled over at her with assurance, I was familiar enough with the vampire in front of me to know he was just toying with her now, getting any remnants of entertainment from the encounter that he could. "But she was here, yes."

Even I was surprised by this admission.

"So you were sleeping together?" Beth asked, excited by his admission.

"Why would we be sleeping together?" Josef was obviously curious to hear her answer on this one.

"She was a model" Beth explained, connecting her dots for the rest of us present in the room "You seem rather fond of them, I thought sleeping with models was one of your favourite hobbies"

"It is" Josef shrugged "but not this one"

"If you weren't involved with her then what was she doing in your office?" I couldn't help but ask, now curious myself.

"She was her with someone else" Josef shrugged, his shoulders slouching and his face now appearing bored once more. "If that was all you were here for, to throw out unjust accusations Miss Turner you can leave now" Josef pointed the pen still within his grasp towards the door and pulled his phone from his pocket, choosing to ignore our presence in his office all together.

"Aren't you going to tell us who she was here with?" Beth almost screeched in exasperation. Josef looked up from his cell to glance at Beth for a small second, only to shake his head in a resounding No. I wrapped my hand around Beth's elbow in an attempt to guide her towards the tall lavish doors gently. "Let go Mick, he needs to tell us!" Beth stomped her foot in a refusal to move, behaving like a moody child who'd been informed she wasn't allowed any candy before bedtime.

"Get her out of here Mick" Josef said loudly enough for us both to hear "Or I will call security"

"Move Beth" I dragged her behind me with all the force that was needed, she stomped her feet the whole walk into the elevator.

**Sophia's POV**

Car journeys feel very lengthy when you spend all of it in the trunk. Even worse when you're in the trunk, blindfolded with some sort of silky restriction around your wrists. Not to mention the slowly thickening blood that was still pouring languidly down my forehead.

I was thrown around the empty compact space with each jerky turn and quick brake, my head hurting more from the thuds against the metal trunk than the earlier knock. It was a big relief when the car finally slowed and then halted all together. That relief quickly transformed into dread as I realised whatever was about to follow couldn't be any better, I was suddenly feeling rather comfortable in the trunk.

I could see some peaks of light from the edges of the poorly fitted blindfold when the trunk was opened, the breeze of cool air that followed was refreshing but the solid grasp that soon surrounded my upper arms was restricting and, at times, painful. In a few mere seconds, maybe even less than that I was hoisted from the dark trunk and thrown carelessly over a hard shoulder. Someone's bone was painfully digging in to my abdomen but rather than complain about it I refocused my energy on trying to fight off the dizzy feeling that was clouding my mind and think, I needed a plan. Anyone that consisted of something other than scream would be helpful. Right now that's all I could come up with, I didn't think it would be helpful, in fact the opposite.

I felt a rush of air around me then heard two, quick and loud knocks. Not good.

My sense's tried to keep up with the adjustments in my surroundings but my head was still trying to clear out some of the fog, I didn't even realise I was going through a doorway until my protruding elbow was struck against a hard surface and a thick accent warned the person carrying me to 'watch the door'. The voice I didn't recognise, at all. The next thing I knew I was being deposited on a something soft; I landed suddenly and mentally kicked myself for the small surprised yelp that escaped me. I received a deep chuckle in return, followed by some more talking. This time in a language I didn't understand. I could hear a door to the side of me shut none too softly as the voices around me quickly quietened down. The sound of shoes tapping against some sort of wooden flooring was all I could hear now, and if I wasn't mistaken they were headed in my general direction.  
>"Can someone please explain the bleeding human on my new sofa please?!" at least this accent wasn't a foreign one, I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. <p>

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><p><em><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, the fact that other people wanted me to continue my own little musing was rather inspiring. So, cheers!<strong>_


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